Actually we’re not exactly football mad in this household, the OH is (in a big way), but he’s pretty much on his own in his chosen path. The kids all love a kick around in the garden and 2 of the 3 have been to proper football matches – if you concede that Watford play proper football – but, try as he might, the OH is on his own when it comes to loving the beautiful game.
That said, I couldn’t let the World Cup 2010 pass without dedicating at least one post to it. We have done our bit – the kids all have their unofficial England clobber and we’ve been flying the flag with chavish abandon. We have a vuvuzela and we’re learning to do more than beat each other up with it, and the Panini album is gradually starting to fill – please don’t tell me how much it would cost to fill the whole thing, I really don’t need to know!
It’s a universally accepted truth (in this house) that the Beeb beats ITV around the head with a big stick when it comes to all things football. Why does ITV insist on employing folk with the combined charisma of a Koi carp? It’s pitiful to watch, and as Julia suggested last night, we’d have been better off turning off the sound and listening to 5Live. The BBC has the best pundits, the best production, probably the best budgets, and always the best all round entertainment. But there’s been two things about their coverage of the football festival so far that have left me reeling.
The first was the promo for the game between Brazil and North Korea – I’ve looked everywhere for a link so I can share it but it would appear that it has been un-made in true Orwellian style. Maybe the odd combination of tongue in cheek ‘humour’ and failed jokes about communism didn’t really happen, but Gary Linekar and I shared a confused and dazed look as he swept the link under the BBC shagpile.
And then we had Shearer, not the most charismatic of pundits but obviously a man who knows his onions – on the pitch that is. Hands up the producer who thought it would be a good idea to send a millionaire, cocooned life celebrity into the townships to talk post-apartheid South Africa? No wonder he smelled faintly of embarrassment, although that’s no excuse for him to swagger along, hands in pockets, chewing gum. The most hideous segment showed him asking how a black South African man felt during segregation, and how this compared to post-apartheid – honestly a worse heads in hands moment than the 1990 penalty shoot out.
I’m all for the World Cup being an opportunity for some solid social commentary but please don’t insult people by sending in sports commentators to do a journalist’s job. Still, after last night’s horror of a match against Algeria I doubt we’ll be in it too much longer so I’ll be able to retreat back to late night blogging happy in the knowledge that I supported the boys in their hour of need. The OH retains some semblance of belief, but knows that really it’s never ‘coming home’…’66 was a fluke #justsaying.
I suspect there will be several posts this morning on the World Cup (there’s one on my blog!) I totally agree with you about the difference in the quality of the presentations & yes – BBC all the time. I hoped the media would see an opportunity to try to support S Africa & give air time to charities etc but I was cross last night when they said that the two princes (William & Harry) were there because William is the President of the FA. Not true! They are there to promote Harry’s charity! *gets off soap box*
Crikey, am half sorry I missed it all, if just for the two moments you described. I am such a football nut that I didn’t even know they were playing last night. thank God my hubby isn’t in the least bit interested.
We turn the sound down and turn on 5 live
That segment was soooo cringy, just awful wasn’t it. I imagined them turning the camera off and Alan just dropping his microphone and running as fast as he could back to the pool-side bar for a drink. Awful.
My boy is a trained football coach who now works in a bank and wears a suit, and hates every minute of it, stripping off as soon as he gets home to get on his shorts and Adidas flip flops. Having two girls is a bit of a kick in the nuts too. Our house is WC-central but I’m cool with that, there are worse vices aren’t there. Where does one get a vuvuz-thingy?
I hate football, I hate the sound of it, I can’t even begin to tell you how much I hate the sound of it. Ooooook, I won’t go on about it 😀 Haven’t seen any of the segments you mentioned, for some reason *cough* 😀 Jen.
Must pop over and read yours – been meaning to all day, then got sidetracked. There is so much more that they could have done but ultimately I accept that this is about the football – so just don’t Shearer out to pretend to empathise!! I don’t have an issue with Harry and his charity, he’s doing something positive at least – who’d have thought he would turn out to be the good looking one?!
It’s not like you’re missing anything earth shattering – let’s be honest!
But the time delay?!? How do you cope with knowing what happens before you see it happen?!
I had the same picture in mind, although in mine he climbed into the back of a Bentley before giving them a wave! Your poor boy! Still I bet the girls will grow to love it….and the vuvuzela? Sainsbury – I can’t claim that it’s authentic, but if you blow it hard enough it makes a terrible sound!
LOL Jen! Well bless you for even reading past the title then *toots on vuvuzela happily* x
I don’t watch any of the rubbish men sitting around talking about the game. I watch the game. Actually I half watch the game, half watch anything from Heals on eBay. It’s the Ying and Ylang of life. Best bit of the night…Rooney slagging of the fans. Priceless.
Get in there! You are all over it – I am impressed. We are a football free hoose. OH is Scottish. Son thinks football is pointless, daughter is 2 years old, and I am indifferent. We’ll watch if we get past the 1st round but just because we are glory hunters and maybe only the edited highlights. I listen to Radio 1 in the morning and heard his and Comedy Dave’s alternative commentary of Serbia v NZ, which was hilarious. I properly love Alan Hanson – is he still commentating? I don’t mind football, to some extent I think it’s a form of social control and serves a purpose. I’ll be interested to see if anyone goes bankrupt next year. Ignorance is bliss.
So true. I can’t take football commentators trying to talk about apartheid and South Africa’s history. I’d like to see the segments as it is a unique time for South Africa to promote itself and its history but really – please put someone on who knows what they are talking about! Gah! Grrr.
A Modern Military Mother – I have a sneaky crush on Alan Hanson too. Clearly need to get out more!
I quite enjoyed Rooney’s outburst too – poor Mr Potato Head – played like a tea lady and got booed for it, what a shocker. Still, at least he cares….
Alan Hanson *sigh* . Yes he is still commentating – and what a fine job he does too 🙂
LOL, you’re in the Alan Hanson appreciation society too! We’re a small, but select group! 🙂
Oooh, yes Alan Hanson – there’s just something about his stern, no nonsense demeanour isn’t there? Beeb all the way for that reason alone. I agree about Alan Shearer in the townships – just awful.
waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy too much noise here last night because of last nights game…
but it was good because I could use my vuvuzela app for the iMonster! hehehehehe
😉
funnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!! 🙂
That’s four for the AHAS then! They started talking about it again last night – I was pleading with Shearer to stop!
LOL, I bet you were loving it! I’ve got the vuvuzela app too – such a great noise!! 🙂